Saunders is happy with his Spireites

He said: “This is a big game for us; obviously the JPT game at Rochdale was a big game, but I do see this as more important than that one.

“We might get the benefit in the future of playing the young players like we did on Tuesday, you have to put them in.

“I said when I came to the club that I would give some of the young players a chance, and they’ve done it in some games so far.

“We have the five players who missed the game on Tuesday coming back into the team after the win we got last weekend at Crewe, which ended a sticky pitch for us.

“So if we can get some points on Saturday, then we’ll be really close to the play-off spots.

“We’re only three points off them now after 11 games, which I’d have taken before the season started.”

Ollie Banks and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, both subs at Crewe, came off the bench at Rochdale and improved the performance of the team, so they will be hoping to have done enough to be considered for a start against Gillingham.

Chesterfield tumbled out of the JPT on Tuesday, as they lost 2-1 at Rochdale. The 2-1 win at Crewe ended a run of five games without a win.